The passage below was published by Baron de Montesquieu in 1748.
In every government, there are three sorts of power: the legislative, the
executive [and what] we may call the judiciary power...
When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person..
there can be no liberty because fears may arise that the same monarch...
should enact tyrannical laws and execute them in a tyrannical manner.
Again, there is no liberty if the judiciary not be separated from the
legislative and executive.
Source: Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws, Book XI, Section 6
How did these ideas influence the Founding Fathers of the United States?
A. They decided to establish a constitutional monarchy.
B. They decided to establish a representative form of government.
C. They decided to separate the powers of government into three
branches.
D. They decided each branch of government should be able to check the
other branches.
LEE